The Story of Selaerosona Windrunner Book 1
by DarkLadySylvanas96
Summary: Almost a decade later, as I wrote this when I was 13, reimagined and rewritten. I am very excited to offer this new and better planned version of the story I began so long ago. I look forward to sharing the Story of Sela with everyone once more.
1. Recap

Hello, everyone, I know it's been awhile since I told you all how much this story truly meant to me and how I truly apperciate your support and love over the last few years. Especially when I released my last statement, you all continued to support me. And for that, from the bottom of my heart, I thank you.

Now, for the nitty gritty of this pos . I realized that everytime I went to write the continuing chapters of the Story of Selaerosona Windrunner, I found my now matured writer mind screaming in frustration at how my old writing was still dominating much of my current storyline. And lets be honest, between my newly found addiction to Alexa Donne's videos on story development, my mentor's notes and expectations for my screenplays, AND my frustrations at Blizzard for the direction of Sylvanas's psychological play out (believe me, I am not the happiest of campers but I am holding faith), it became a struggle to get back into writing the Sela story. Which, in and of itself, is difficult because this piece coincides with my childhood and my beginnings as a write . This haunts me because everytime I try to move onto a new piece, the unfinished story naws at my mind. I finally broke, and made the most empowering decisions I've ever made from a creative standpoint.

I'm going to fully rewrite the entire story.

So, what exactly does that mean? Well, a new "book" will begin to be posted on Fanfiction. This includes a new book cover (I realized I was still using the first screenshot of Sylvanas I ever took in the Silverpine questline), potential character bios, a new outline for the story that follows a similar story but I have revised the loose ends in my lore bending, and much more.

I have brought on a good friend of my to do the edits, which is honestly something I never actually did before. When a friend previously read my works, they were more or less cheerleading me on. This time, I am not looking to be told how good it is, but instead, I want to provide my audience with a small literary treat that is a legitimate piece, dispite my disclaimers haha. This piece will also lack author notes, another thing I disliked going back over my previous work, as to not break the immersion for my readers. I want this to feel like an actual book to my readers. So, there will be a single disclaimer page at the beginning "chapters" that applies to the entirety of the piece. I will put a glorified note in either beginning or the end of the piece.

Also, the outline I have created will still involve the Battle of the Undercity, but I have already started off the piece much differently than before. Currently, the prologue is still in final edits but will be up soon to kick off this new retelling. I am going to keep up the orginal piece for several reasons, including...

1\. I love to see how I've grown as a writer. I am proud of little me for even finishing the first boo .

2\. I want to be better than my former self, so I like goinf back and conparing.

3\. I want my readers to be able to see the growth of a story that their encouragement helped to grow.

And just for the overall nostalgia of it. Its my biggest creative accomplishment on my own so far and I always compare my work to that scale.

So, give it a little time and come check back in with the story soon! For the tale begins anew!


	2. Chapter 1: Aim True

Arrows, screams, and the scent of rotted flesh overwhelmed the morning hours of Quel'thalas. The once crystal-clear waters of the stream now mixed with the blood of both fresh and rotted, as stark as wine spilt on linen. Light flickered through the golden leaves of the eternal autumn forests, casting an ominous beauty on the stained forest floor as though an artist had purposely created the scene on a canvas. The clearing surrounding the river was filled with a small detachment of elves that battled the seemingly endless number of undead soldiers. Although the scouts had managed to route the abominations at the roots of tree line, but with each moment passing, their numbers were dwindled as did their foothold. Hope was the only thing that kept their exhaustion at bay.

A young ranger heaved his axe into the skull of an undead, winning a satisfying crack as his prey dropped under the blunt weight. Sickenly, a small sigh of relief slipped through his lips. However, the moment was marked by the clean woosh of a large sword, its blade like a serrated knife, cut straight through his chest from behind. The elf, his mouth open in shock from the blow, slowly turned with the last of his strength to gaze upon his killer. To what his one eye caught was a large skeletal stallion that bore an ornate knight who gazed upon the elf with malice. His hair as white as snow, and blue eyes that burned with unholy fires looked upon the dying elf, the sight causing his lips to twist into a wicked smile. The elf's own lips, agape with pain, were speckled with blood as it began to flood out his throat.

"Prince...A-a-rthas..?" His eyes began to milk over with an everlasting bewilderment.

Arthas's smirk fell as he ripped his sword from the elf's back, pulling pieces of his spine along with the yank. A gurgled scream was the last sound the elf uttered, before his body crashed onto the forest floor.

How dare the his future subjects still toss about a child's title.

"You are not welcome here, Boy King!"

Arthas slowly tore his gaze from his kill, his blue eyes lazily looking over the grotes scene of his battlefield. His eyes finally caught interesting movement, as reinforcements from Silvermoon were running across the bridge to meet his army head-on while archers took up position upon the bridge. An elegant figure stood defiantly over the archers, her blue armor glimmering with brilliance in the dawn that slipped between the leaves and an ornate bow in hand. Arthas couldn't help but feel a familiar glimmer of respect at the woman's glowing blue eyes shooting hatred at him already.

"I am Sylvanas Windrunner, Ranger General of Silvermoon," she snarled over the screams and thrashings of the battlefield, the stench of maggot filled corpses rolling over her tongue, "And I advise you to turn back…".

She notched an arrow into her bow, aiming it him, the aged weapon creaking under the tension.

"Now".

A roar of chilling laughter rolled out of Arthas, as he leaned backwards on Invincible. The stallion bit at his bridle and his rider pulled on them. Sylvanas tighten her grip on her bow and fired at him. The arrow sank deeply into his arm, quelling his laughter instantly. He looked at the arrow in his arm before he grabbed it, snapping the splinter of wood in disgust.

"It is you who should turn back, _Sylvanas Windrunner_," his tone that of a spoiled child, tossing the arrow aside, "Death itself has come to your land".

Sylvanas cocked her chin upwards in defiance, as she shot another arrow at him. This time, the annoyed knight batted it off with blade, Frostmourne.

"Do your worst. The elf gate to the inner sanctum is guarded by our most powerful enchantments. And to get there, you have to pass the bridge." she reached for another arrow, pulsing with arcane enchantments, "You shall not pass".

Arthas heaved in frustration before bellowing out his rage, as he and his army charged to meet Sylvanas' forces, headon. The knight began to cut through the elves alongside his risen army, but Sylvanas' aim was true. As her forces fell, so did his. And with the catapults aiding her forces, the odds were beginning to quickly be in her favor. Arthas snarled, as he raised Frostmourne into the air, the blade crackling with energy as it thirsted for the souls of those fallen.

Sylvanas watched with grim satisfaction as her arrow sailed into the heart of the gargoyle that had flogged one of her rangers nearly to death, when jerking movement from the grass grabbed her attention. Her own blue eyes widen, disgust grimacing her lips as the young ranger that had fallen to Arthas' blade, rose from his deathbed on the forest floor. A gaping hole in his chest and his spine partially protruding from his back seemed to be of no concern to him now, only causing his posture to slump. He seemed to be groggy for a mere heartbeat, before shrieking like a mad pig, lunging at the nearest living being, Ranger Loralen, as though she were slop in his feeding ben. She crumbled under his weight, screaming as he ripped through her leather armor and tore open her stomach. He dug into her as though starving, sending her intestines flying behind him as her blue eyes rolled back into her limp head.

The Ranger-Captain, Areiel, looked to Sylvanas in horror.

"That butcher will slaughter us all!"

Sylvanas looked between her ranger to the physically exhausted forces left on the field. With every body that crumbled to

"Fall back to the trees!"

Her command created an instant ripple over what remained of her forces, as what remained of the Quel'dorei rangers disengaged from their undead opponents, dashing back across the bridge. Loralen and Sylvanas rounded the retreating forces from the back.

"Go. I will meet you at Fairbreeze Village. Begin to evacuate the city to Silvermoon. I'll hold them at the second gate".

Areiel's eyes widen for a moment but duty held her steady, as she nodded and disappeared into the trees. Sylvanas skidded to a halt at the edge of the bridge, watching her forces disappear into the trees even past her elven vision for a heartbeat, before she turned her burning gaze to face Arthas.

He met her with a smirk so delightful it made her stomach curdle. Beneath his steed's hoof lay the obliterated body of Loralen, her eyes wide with the last moments agony she endured. The sight caused stirred her stomach with abhoradance.

"You might have won this, butcher, but you won't get through the gate. The inner gate to Silvermoon is guarded by a special key, and it shall _**never **_be yours".

"You cannot outrun the inevitable," Arthas stated as though it were obvious. Obvious that he would win.

Sylvanas's long blonde brow rose, a smirk almost playing on her lips.

"You think that I am running from you?" She mocked, as she notched an arcane arrow into her bow. "Apparently, you've never fought elves before".

As the arrow's felching slipped through her fingers, Sylvanas turned on her heels and ran for the trees at a dead sprint. Her arrow hit the dead center of the bridge just as she stopped by the treeline. Within that heartbeat, the arcane bomb attached detonated, causing an explosion that blew Arthas off of Invincible and into the river, screaming, along with a few of his forces that had been too close to the explosion range. Arthas sloshed through the river, his eyes wild with livid hatred as he scoured the treeline, only to see the blue-cladded ranger slip into the shadows but not before missing the cocky smile on her lips. He flashed his eyes to the bridge, ready to have his forces give chance, only to be met with a ruined gap between the two sides of the rushing, deep river. He smashed a fist into the water, causing a cute little splash. This further infuriated the Prince.

"Damn that woman!"

He glared at the other side of the river, writhing in rage, as the bodies of the fallen floated lazily of the tainted waters. His steed splashed over to his side, nudging his master's shoulder.

"If we're forced to backtrack the elves will have too much time to route my army… there must be another way".

Then it dawned upon the death knight.

Within a heartbeat, Arthas grabbed Frostmourne and lept up from his soggy seat vaulting onto Invincible's back. He waved his blade to his army, ending only to point at the river.

"Get all those bodies into the river! Now!"

Sylvanas's haggard breathing and aching muscles did not flatter her sprint. She had already passed through one checkpoint and having left orders to hold out as long as they could, and headed straight to Fairbreeze Village. As she neared the town, she heard Areiel's voice over the crowd of panic. She took a moment to pause, catching her breath, leaning her weight onto a building's outer wall, her mind replaying Lorealen's last horrifying moment. Bile rose in her throat, causing Sylvanas to double over. She did her best to hold it in, but when a tiny breeze brought the encroaching scent of rotting corpse to her nose, the Ranger-General couldn't hold back any longer.

"Everyone, please! This order comes from Sylvanas herself!"

An angry voice sneered over the voices, the owner being a bitter merchant.

"Why worry us? Those undead imbeciles could never overpower our gates," the merchant scoffed, "why should I close up shop, leave my livelihood, over a dead body that isn't my own?"

Sylvanas grimaced as she rose from her discarded breakfast, composed her posture with a swift wipe of her lips and marched forward into the crowd. The civilians, as they saw her, immediately allowed her to pass with widened eyes until she stood behind the merchant.

"Wouldn't the Ranger-General be here, herself, if it were truly that serious? Perhaps if she wasn't so busy running after opportunities, she would have time to do her duties!"

Sylvanas gritted her teeth but withheld her anger. Now was not the time to create more turmoil.

"I am here," she said impatiently. The merchant whipped around, his face falling from peach to pale, "And I am ordering you, all of you, to evacuate to Silvermoon".

The merchant nodded numbly, as he and the crowd scrambled away, gathering the belongings that they could. Sylvanas strode up to Areiel, eyes tired from endless battle.

"Do you think the gate will hold?"

Sylvanas passed her, headed towards the blacksmith's. She shrugged her quiver off, left with only a handful of arrows, and began restocking. Areiel filled her own, waiting.

"I destroyed the bridge," Sylvanas said casually, as though discussing a hunt. "That should buy us enough time to get the evacuation to Silvermoon finished. We'll take to the tower with what remains of our forces.".

"But, will the gate hold?" Areiel persitted, her fingers trembling as she reached for more arrows.

Sylvanas gave her a long look with her cool blue eyes but remained silent. The two elves, whom had trained, hunted, and guarded Silvermoon alongside each other for centuries, endure the grim silence together.

"Minn'da? ...Minn'da!"

Sylvanas snapped her head towards the warm voice, horror creeping into her heart. The pounding of little feet matching her racing heart. Her eyes darted about until they locked onto the small head covered in light blonde curls rushing across the cobblestones towards her. Sylvanas took a few long strides towards the small child and swept her into her arms, holding her close, as the toddler threw her arms around her neck tightly.

"Selaerosona, why are you not in Silvermoon?"

"Minn'da, Elimora said we were going to go to Silvermoon but then some of the other rangers stopped us when we got to the Dragonhawk farm," the child began to shuffle in her mother's arms nervously, "Minn'da, is everything okay? Everyone is talking about monsters in the forests". Her little voice, confused and afraid, was muffled as she spoke into Sylvanas's hood on her neck. Sylvanas stroked her daughter's head, her grip tightening around the child.

"Do not worry, my child," she tenderly kissed Sela's forehead,shutting her eyes as she too, needed the reassurance, "You are going to go back to Silvermoon and then you're going to go to Vereesa. It's going to be a little ...surprise".

Sela craned her little head to look at her mother. Sylvanas softly placed her forehead onto Sela's, drinking her child's warm breath.

"Oh, I like surprises…" her blue eyes looked at Sylvanas with fear, "Is Elimora coming too?"

Sylvanas nodded.

"And Minn'da too?"

This time, Sylvanas shook her head.

"Why not," Selaerosona asked in a small voice.

"I have to help Areiel and the other rangers take care of a bad man".

"Promise you'll come after?"

Sylvanas could feel her throat drying, as though all the things she's wanted to say or would have one said one day hitting her all at once. She gently took of a simple blue sapphire in a gold cast from her neck and clasped it around Selaerosona's neck. Sela's little hands held the gem, her eyes wide as she looked up at her mother.

"My little Aero, I will come find you, wherever you are," Sylvanas placed a hand over the sapphire from Alleria, "I promise".

Sela smiled innocently at her mother, as Sylvanas hugged her child again, savoring the moment. She turned, still cradling her child, surveying the state of Fairbreeze. She caught sight of Areiel's, who nodded grimmly at the Ranger General. It was time. Sylvanas gently set Sela down.

"It's time to go, Little Aero," she offered her gloved hand to the child. Selaerosona looked up at Sylvanas, watching her mother with wide eyes full of love, all fear washed away when she gazed upon the proud figure of her mother contrasting the vivid oranges of the trees above. Selaerosona reached up and took Sylvanas' hand with her tiny firm grip.

A gentle smile spread across Sylvanas' lips, watching the little innocent face for a heartbeat longer. A treasonish thought crossed Sylvanas'' mind to just leave with her child and run from the horrors that marched through the shadows of the forest. In the blue hues of Selaerosona's eyes, she saw the life that could be with by choosing life. A small breeze caused threads of pale gold hair to cut across the blue, replacing imagination with a memory. Alleria's voice echoed in Sylvanas's mind.

_"We do what we must, for those we love, Sylvanas."_

A sudden scream nearly overshadowed the whisper, as the Ranger-General snapped out of her private moment. A bleeding scout limped up the road, his life dripping out behind him with each step. A few rangers rushed forward, catching him just as his legs gave way.

"They've crossed the river, " his words spluttered onto the golden cobblestones as did drops of blood, "He...The inner gate has fallen!"

Everyone turned to their leader for an answer. An order. A glimmer of hope.

Sylvanas shook aside the whimsical idea as her purpose called. She leapt to her duty as well as her feet, "We leave. Now!"

Sylvanas, what remained of her rangers, and the civilians ran across the sea of marigolds. Screechs, groans, and the thundering of an army behind them in the distant grew louder with each passing second. Sylvanas kept her gaze locked on the golden gates of Silvermoon becoming more and more detailed with each passing stride. Each moment, a small sliver hope grew for her people. A scream behind her caused Sylvanas to look over her shoulder, the sight skidding her feet to a halt, her rangers falling place alongside her.

Arthas and his army seeping out of the now rotting trees of the forest line behind them. The very life forces of the vegetation being sucked out by the abominations.

"Ah," Arthas' voice defiled the air with his satisfaction, his gaze set on the same ornate gates as Sylvanas, "at last".

"Did you forget about us, you wretches?!" Sylvanas gave a single signal to her rangers, "Bash'a no falor talah!"

Arrows sailed through the air, causing gargoyles to scream as they plummeted out of the sky. The death knight rose his sword into the air, roaring out to his undead creations as though they were a noble army. "For the Scourage!"

"Get to Silvermoon! Hurry!" Sylvanas bellowed to the civilians.

"You there, Farstrider," A young ranger locked eyes with her at her call, their blue gaze wide with horror, "man a ballista; Provide cover for the retreating civilians".

The elf took a heartbeat before dashing towards the machine. As the undead beasts began to gallop towards the remainders of the Farstriders, the meat wagons behind Arthas began to catapult tainted bodies, which exploded upon impact. The air was filled with the dancing gold petals on the wind and the arrows cutting through the sky. Sylvanas saw out of her peripherals, Elimora rushing towards Silvermoon with Selaerosona in her arms. However, a gargoyle swooped down upon her, glancing her back with his talons that knocked the woman to the ground hard. Sylvanas released her arrow and sprinted over to her child.

Grabbing her arm, Sylvanas wretched Elimora from her shocked state, shaking her hard. The woman looked at her dazed with wild blue eyes and disheveled black hair.

"Take her," Sylvanas urged Elimora, her tone conveying so much in the order. Elimora blinked, the clouds unfocusing her eyes lifting fast. Sylvanas looked to her child, seeing her mimicked smaller self wide eyed and terrified.

Sylvanas lingered for a heartbeat, before shoving Elimora on, "Run!"

She watched for a moment before she turned back to the army. Arthas grinned at her from his horse. Another flying projectile flew over her head, and Sylvanas turned just in time to turn to see Areiel's body go limp in the grasp of an undead skeleton behind her as another stabbed into her stomach. The duo tossed her aside, and began to come up behind another ranger fending off another mob. Sylvanas scowled shooting the two undead before she whipped around to Arthas, who was smiling at her.

"I salute your bravery, elf," his smile fell to an annoyed grimace, "but the chase is over".

"Then," Alleria's face crossed her mind, and for a moment, Sylvanas wished she were there in that moment, as she had swooped in before with the Alliance armies to chase away the trolls that once wage war across Quel'thalas. But this time, Sylvanas knew that moment would never come. Alleria was gone and the the only hope that remained for her people, her sister, and her child, were the moments Sylvanas could buy in exchange for something that was already forfeit.

"I will make my stand here, butcher"

Sylvanas felt into her quiver, feeling her arrows; four. Sylvanas thought about looking back, to see with her own eyes that her child made it, but she dare not take her eyes off Arthas. Off to her death.

"Anar'alah belore".

Sylvanas broke into a dead sprint towards the first mob of two skeletons, she released one arrow into the head nearest to her before launching herself over them with her powerful legs. The second arrow also found purchase in the skull of the second before her feet touched the ground, causing a flurry of petals to rise upwards at her landing. A third rushed forward, which she sidestepped, leaving him with her third arrow in his neck. A gurgling scream behind her caused Sylvanas to whip around, 4th arrow notched, as she swung around and up, the undead leaping towards her with a large axe. She released the arrow and rolled forward out of his way, his axe catching the ground first and his rotted body impaling itself on the pointed handle. Sylvanas glared towards the next set of enemies and started running until she was merely a stride away. She hit the ground with her knees, sliding towards them. Grabbing blade's handle with one hand, and crossing her bow across her body, she gave a scream as she cross cut through 4 sets of legs, all off them falling to the ground.

But as they fell, a horse's whinny cut the air. The thundering of hooves caused Sylvanas to turn, only to be met with a stab of agony in her abdomen. Sylvanas shrieked in pain, unvolitarty leaking from her widened eyes. Slowly, her gaze trinkled down from the smirking face of Arthas atop his mount, to his strong forearm holding his sword, and finally following the blade to where it was lodged into her stomach.

"F-finish it…" Sylvanas hisses, tasting her own salty blood on her lips. The pain from her wound was so unbearable, yet she refused to give an ounce of weakness on her deathbed, for she had won.

"i-I deserve…. A clean death".

Oh yes, though her body was forfeit, she had achieved her victory. Because the heartbeats spent on her Farstriders, the citizens of Silvermoon, those she loved, would be safe. The image of her people surviving made her soul feel at peace, even numbing the agonizing wound in her stomach. Her crimson lifeforce dripped off her body and the blade onto the beautiful golden flowers below.

Arthas chuckled, as though truly bemused by her final request. He drew her closer to him, grabbing her scalp and ripped Frostmourne from her, holding her by the roots of her moon colored hair.

"After all you've put me through, _woman_, the last thing I'll give you is the peace of death".

Frostmourne and Arthas began to glow with foul blue magics, as the world around Sylvanas began to drift slowly away.

"No," she whispered with her last bit of life, horrified, "You wouldn't...dare".

And then, all so suddenly like a wave came over her that swept her away, there was nothing. No pain, no Arthas. Only darkness.

A single hand lay upon her shoulder that contained the weight of what felt to be several beings, and with them came the scents of the forests, ocean breeze, and the warmth of the sun

"Sylvanas?" A familiar series of voices called her all at once from behind her in the darkness, Sylvanas could name every single one. She began to turn to them, wanting nothing more than to join them in the warmth she felt radiating on her back.

But suddenly, a searing pain from within her being grabbed onto her very soul, the pain pulling her to the ground. It made her wither, as though it were both tearing her apart and choking her. The forests around her became engulfed in a blue flame so bright that Sylvanas shut her eyes, feeling herself falling backwards.

Slowly, she opened her eyes. Before her, lay the body of an elegant elf, in blue leather armor. Her skin was smooth but white as snow, and from under her hood came long hair like a beautiful storm of moon tinted hair that the wind had graced sprawled out across the bed of marigolds softly embracing her. Though her eyes were closed, black scars were trailing out from under them.

Sylvanas realized who it was, as she gazed upon her own corpse.

She tore her gaze away from her deathbed only to catch the sight of two other bodies resting amongst the marigolds. One was an older elf, with wild black hair, and in her arms, as though using her body to guard the child, was the soft face of a child with blonde little curls tumbling around her sleeping face amongst the withering flowers.

Whatever remained of Sylvanas' heart shattered as she threw back her head, letting out an ear splintering whail of what she had become.

An abomination of the Scourage.

A slave to Arthas.

A failure to her people.

A failure to her child.

She had been reforged as a banshee.

"A fitting look for you, Sylvanas," Arthas jeered, before he turned Invincble towards the gates of Silvermoon to continue his conquest. As he rode away, Sylvanas felt the searing pain of seperation from her new master. The cold sensation burned into her core, as her consciousness was forced back into what remained of her mutilated soul. With her last moments of control, Sylvanas looked to the deathbed of marigolds framing her daughter's face. A moment, that seemed to last only a single heartbeat, was broken as her master's iron grasp pulled Sylvanas' soul to follow him

This, my friends, is where the true story of Selaerosona Windrunner, daughter of Sylvanas Windrunner and Kael'thas Sunstrider, the Heart of this Legend, begins.


End file.
